Duqqa,[spelling 1]du'ah, do'a,[1] or dukkah (Egyptian Arabic: دقةEgyptian Arabic pronunciation:[ˈdoʔʔæ], Hejazi Arabic pronunciation:[dʊgːa]) is an Egyptian and Middle Easterncondiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts (usually hazelnut), and spices. It is typically used as a dip with bread[2] or fresh vegetables for an hors d'œuvre.[3] Pre-made versions of duqqa can be bought in the spice markets of Cairo, where they are sold in paper cones, with the simplest version being crushed mint, salt, and pepper.[4] The packaged variety that is found in markets is composed of parched wheat flour mixed with cumin and caraway.[5] In the Hejaz region, it has been part of the regional cuisine for decades.
The word is derived from the Arabic for "to pound"[6][7] since the mixture of spices and nuts is pounded together after being dry roasted to a texture that is neither powdered nor paste-like. The actual composition of the spice mix can vary from family to family,[8] vendor to vendor though there are common ingredients, such as sesame, coriander, cumin, salt and black pepper. Reference to a 19th-century text[9] lists marjoram, mint, zaatar and chickpeas as further ingredients that can be used in the mixture. A report from 1978[10][11] indicates that even further ingredients can be used, such as nigella, millet flour and dried cheese. Some modern variants include pine nuts,[12]pumpkin seeds[13] or sunflower seeds.[14]
In the 2000s, duqqa began to become popular in some countries outside Egypt. In the United States it gained exposure through such TV shows as Top Chef, Chopped and Iron Chef America. In Australia, several companies began to make it in a variety of flavours, where its popularity may have been due to Lebanese and Arabic immigration as well as television cooking shows such as SBS Food Network. It can be found in supermarkets, specialty stores and many farmers' markets.
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